That was awful. I haven't seen such a mess since I watched the original Casino Royale a few years ago. Unless the trailer is totally unrepresentative of the movie, this'll die the death at the box office.

Not really sure what to think of that. I've never been entirely certain exactly what Southland Tales was actually about and what I've just seen makes me even less certain. On the other hand, that may not be a bad thing because I usually enjoy movies that I go into with little or no expectations, and this would absolutely qualify.

I'll go see it on the strength of Sarah alone, who looks amazing in those clips, but I actually think this film would tempt my curiosity no matter who was in it.

I get the impression that this film is a bit on the existential side. (Did I spell that right?) I'm looking forward to it. Formula movies get boring quickly and even if I don't like it later, at least I had something to think about.

I think this may be the kind of film that would be impossible to sum up in a trailer. I'm a huge Donnie Darko fan, so I'm optimistic about this. I think the trailer makes it seem interesting, however confusing. Like Donnnie Darko, this could be a film you have to see multiple times to understand everything. Just think kind of movie I love!

Ugh. I'm so disappointed. After hearing about this movie for so long, the trailer was just...unimpressive. I am also a Donnie Darko fan and will probably give it a chance on DVD but this really looks a mess to me.

If you want to know more about what it's about the little scene with Seann William Scott's character in the mirror might be the biggest spoiler in the trailer.. Also if you're interested, be sure to read the graphic novels. They're the first three parts of a six-part story that concludes in the movie.

This definitely seems to be dividing people into either "desperate to see it" or "what a mess!" categories. I belong firmly in the former. I think it looks interesting, both visually and in terms of the utterly bizarre, complex plot and unusual characters.

I'm really hoping that re-editing it gave Richard Kelly a chance to make a film that was still weird and unusual, but not in a pretentious, bloated, weird-for-the-sake-of-weird way. I think Donnie Darko managed to avoid this fate for its darkness tinged with humour and humanity. It sounds like the original cut of Southland Tales did fall into the trap. But I'm hoping that Kelly's vision has been crystalised into a fascinating and poignant film. And from what I've seen so far, I think there's still hope for that.

Southland Tales not is related to Donnie Darko. The books are all titled Southland Tales (with three different subtitles), they're by Richard Kelly and Brett Weldele, published by Graphitti Designs. You might be better off ordering them online. The comic store I go to got the first two and sold out, and never got the third.

Yep, same dreamlogic, not been able to track down Vol 3 in shops so am going to order it before the film appears.

That trailer seems a mess but I also find it intriguing in its sprawliness, that might sell it. Absolutely loved 'Donnie Darko' so Kelly has bought himself a lot of credit with me. Add SMG + sci-fi and i'm there with flares, it's on like Donkey Kong, i'd ... quite like to see it.

(and Dwayne Johnson was easily the best thing in "Be Cool" so i'll be keen to see if he's hopelessly miscast - as, frankly, it sometimes seems from the trailer IMO - OR in a career making part a la Travolta and 'Pulp Fiction')

Either way, as others have mentioned, better a glorious failure that's actually trying to say something than a hundred mediocre summer "blockbusters" aimed squarely at the Lowest Common Denominator.

Well, it's playing on American fears, and marketed like that. Which is a good move, as fear sells.

And so does sex. Marketeers, listen carefully, i'm about to give you the keys to the kingdom: Scary Sex. E.g. your Mum and Dad. That puppy practically sells itself.

edited because I checked and 'marketeteers' isn't a word. Yet. Muhahahahahahahahaha.

Its Richard Kelly so I'm queuing up to see it as if I were British (they love the queuing). Can't wait, though the trailer looks a bit schizophrenic. Its RICHARD KELLY!!!! Plus SMG and others :) Anyway, Amazon link for those interested int he prequel saga:

This trailer looked a mess. So to confirm a theory I watched a youtube of the Donnie Darko trailer to see what it looked like. Guess what? It looks like a confusing mess. Not that I am suggesting this will be a great movie (or even of a Darko caliber) but for a point of reference, it helps assuage my initial concerns. (Keeping fingers crossed)

And as an aside, I dont think SMG has never looked more beautiful than in this trailer. Maybe it's the Tina Fey glasses...as we all know, smart chicks are so hot.

Well color me interested. I don't know quite why I'm so intrigued and longing for the release but I am. It does seem rather quirky, trip-y with a garnish of wacky and for that, along with the wide range of cast members (SMG, Dwayn, Sean, Justin... Mandy...) I want to watch and I will definitely own when it comes out on DVD.

I guess that since he has the honesty to admit that he doubts that the 18-minute difference in the cut makes much difference, that means he hasn't actually seen it. And since PREMIERE, as you capitalize it, has been dead since this April, I guess it's not so surprising that he hasn't.

Richard Kelly is amazing; "Donnie Darko" is my favorite film, and had he done the number of projects Joss has put out there, it'd be a tough call as to who I'd like better.

You know that sequence of images at the very beginning that fly by just after the second "this is the way the world ends"? Here's what they are (swipe with your mouse to un-spoilerize):

* "Doomsday Scenario Interface"

* Terrain shot (of what, I don't know)

* Sean William Scott looking at the palm of his hand

* "Teen Horniness is Not a Crime", white on pink

* Shot of the musculature of the face viewed from the right side

* Shot of the musculature of the face viewed from the front, with a pointer to the pituitary gland

* A "DSI" screen with "sponsors" on the lefthand side -- Panasonic, Bud Light, Hustler -- and on the right, "(I) Two Roads Diverge, (II) Fingerprints, and (III) the Mechanicals". At the bottom is a timeline with the 12 months of the year, 2006 being on the right; "Aug" is selected. The main story in the center of the screen is "America Re-Instates Draft", with the Uncle Sam logo in the center. Above the ad logos on the left are eight names, which include women's names

* The Rock in front of a mirror with no shirt, looking downward with his hands steepled

* Los Angeles with a large chunk of it on fire

* "Serpentine Dream Theory," with a snake around an ornate sword

* A nuclear blast in the suburb depicted in the opening moments of the trailer

* A girl in a white wig and a red-and-white nurses uniform in front of Timberlake's characters (in flagrante delicte) w/skeeball

* A "Terminator" shot of Jon Lovitz's blonde character

* Same interface -- sponsors are same, above it on th eleft is the Uncle Sam logo, Oct 2007 is selected, in the center is Hydrogen, Ethanol, Bio-Diesel, Hybrid Electric; above it across the tops are the names and flags of Iraq, Iran, Syria, N. Korea, Afghanistan

* Another shot of nuke blast

* A shot of "Teen Horniness is Not a Crime," pink on black, heavily obscured by static

* A shot of six screens. Four depict beach parties in progress; one is a screen split in four, depicting a helicopter, a party, a black square, and another party. Remaining window is "HD Live" from Kabul, "Jihad Jokers: Al-Qaeda Training Camps Discovered, Seventy Men Captured by U.S. Forces" "WWE" "USIDent" with the DHS colors highlighted, the red one chosen -- crawler says "State in America
* City of Tustin Reports Record Sales for Sex"

* "Resurrection," with picture of Jesus Christ

* Blue-lit shot of a man driving a wide steering wheel (like the kind in a truck)

And since PREMIERE, as you capitalize it, has been dead since this April, I guess it's not so surprising that he hasn't.

He saw the Cannes cut. And the print magazine is dead, but the website continues - as do his reviews and his blog.

The LA Times article he comments on show how self-indulgent Kelly is. Yes, there are three supporting graphic novels. No he hadn't actually finished writing them before the film was made. Now he's recut the film properly because the supporting text is finished? Hmm, think the dude should concentrate on making a good film first.

His riding on the cult of Donnie Darko seven years later is getting a little wearing. Particularly as the Theatrical Cut is superior to his Director's Cut - that says something.

Crossoverman, your posts suggest to me you have already decided the film is, or is almost certain to be, "craptacular". This is fair enough, there is no reason why anyone should be required to like it - whether they have seen it or not. The comments made by Glenn Kenny you link to suggest he is very hostile towards the film - and I am sure the cut he viewed is not so different to the one now about to be released that his opinion is likely to change. However, his is a subjective opinion, like anyone else.

If I based my decision to watch or not watch films squarely on the reviews I read my DVD collection would be decimated. That might simply be a damning comment about my tastes, but I trust my own judgement of those tastes than those of film critics – who, whatever they might claim to the contrary, are just as subjective in their opinions as the rest of us.

I think the only way to decide about a film is to watch it and make a personal judgement - or to simply ignore it altogether. There are plenty of films I have no interest in ever seeing and that is exactly what I do (or, I guess, don't do). 'Southland Tales' might very well be a mess and the trailer might or might not prove this, but I still have high hopes – and my bias towards it probably means I will like it. If it turns out to be a disaster, well, so be it.

Damn. That trailer makes it look... really good. Maybe it's the magical trailer making people spinning their magic on me.

I'm still not that impressed by the clips that were linked a week or two ago. And the reviews are, well, pretty much unanimous, still. But damn if that doesn't make it look interesting. That trailer makes me want to go see it, is what it does.

Glen Kenny's blog post doesn't make me not want to see the film, it makes me think he has some sort of personal vendetta against Richard Kelly (or 'asshole' as the big professional reviewer guy calls him).

crossoverman, I also prefer the theatrical to the director's cut of Donnie Darko. So we agree on something. Have you read the graphic novels, so that you understand how complex the story is? I don't know, since I haven't seen the film, if Richard Kelly has actually been able to effectively tell that story in film. But I've seen enough to respect his effort. The label "self-indulgent" can be applied to any artist who isn't making cute anthropomorphic animal movies for Disney, in Hollywood parlance. What do you mean by it?

I think this looks fantastic! It not the usual formulatic movie, so it appeals to me much more. I had no idea The Rock was in it (and keeping all his tattoos instead of having them covered up!) and really had no idea what it was supposed to be about. I can't wait to see it.